Filter cleaner



United States Patent [72] lnventor ScottE.Neill,J1-.

Amarillo, Texas (1147 H. St., Salida, Colorado 81201), [21] Appl. No.727,594 [22] Filed May 8,1968 [45] Patented Sept. 1, 1970 [54] FILTERCLEANER 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 134/58, 134/10,134/33,134/99,134/109,134/143, 134/152 [51]Int. Cl B08b 3/02, B08b 11/00 [50] Field ofSearch 134/10, 33, 58,99,102, 109, 140, 143, 152, 153; 210/167; 55/(No Search) [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS I 781,107 1/1905 Stewart 134/33UX 2,178,70111/1939 Petre 134/33 2,615,456 10/1952 Galusha 134/140 2,699,793 1/1955Bucketal. 134/143 2,756,455 7/1956 Slaughter.... 134/153x 2,919,7041/1960 Butler 134/102. 3,088,391 5/1963 Sigler... 134/153x 3,089,167 51963 1311116161.... 134/22UX 3,174,490 3/1965 Flarsheim.... 134/152x3,216,429 11/1965 Dick 134/102 3,442,273 5/1969 Hanishetal. 134/140xFOREIGN PATENTS 525,249 8/1940 GreatBritain 134 141 PrimaryExaminer-Morris O. Wolk Assistant Examiner-Joseph T. ZatargaAttorney-Ely Silverman ABSTRACT: A machine organized to successivelyapply a jet of cleansing liquid to the exterior surface of eachsuccessive portion of a complex shaped thin-walled dirty air-permeableair filter while the interior surface of that thin-walled portion isconcurrently supported from collapse by the mechanical action of saidjet, and is constructed to permit sufficient ready insertion of thefilter into its treatment position and removal therefrom to permitpublic commerical coin operation thereof and is organized to provide forre-use of the treating liquid.

Patented Sept. 1, 1970 I 3,526,237

Sheet 1 ofs s SCOTT E. NEILL JR. I In Bl NVENTOR. v

BY M Y Patented Sept. 1, 19m 3,526,231

Sheet 2 of3 I25 IO /|42 9 I 7 33 g 2 47A SCOT-TE NE/LLJR.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Sheet 3 of5 scoTT E. NE/LL JR.

1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY f i l FILTER CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l.-Field ofthe Invention The application of liquid cleansing material to animplement having cavities and a work handling apparatus for suchapplication.

2. Description of the Prior Art While air filters are necessary toprotect the mechanical parts 'of the internal combustion engines theyare required to be sufficiently freely permeable to air and permit aboutone cubic foot of air per second to pass therethrough to an automobilecarburetor. As such filters become clogged with debris they reduce theefficiency of the internal combustion engines (whether rotary orreciprocating piston) and the combustion efficiency of the averageautomotive engine is impaired, especially at high speed or acceleration,to the extent of a loss of efficiency of about three miles per gallon ina car usually performing at about 18 miles per gallon.

Cleansing of automotive air filters has been usually attempted by handheld rapping and/or forceful but brief air blast with hand manipulationof the air filter during such manipulation: such air blasts arefrequently so violent as to rupture the filter element; such use of airblast and mechanical rapping are not reliable and neither serves todislodge any but the most loosely held material. Replacement of cloggedfilters is the usual remedy. Other machines available for strainercleaning dependent upon flow of the cleansing solution through thefilter element (e.g. US. Pat. No. 2,170,081) increase the pore size ofthe element and, with an oleophyllic surface, as is developed in mostair filters, the use of water is ineffective and oil cleansing requiresimpractical pressures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a solution to theproblem of cleaning the outer surface of a filter wall, where most ofthe dirt and debris is located, by applying to the outer surface of athin dirty. airfilter wall a liquid jet of sufficient force to dislodgeand remove increments of dirt and debris from the outer surface of thatwall without causing any damage to that wall by providing mechanicalsupport to the complexly shaped inner surface of that thin wall, whilethe outer surface thereof is thus forcefully scrubbed, the jet strikingthe surface at an angle.

The liquor used is provided sufficient detergent action to loosen theincrements of dirt fromthe filter wall when used as a jet but not enoughchemical activity to keep the dirt stably suspended. This results inthat the liquor used to dislodge the debris and dirt from thefiltersurface may be separated by the apparatus-of this invention fromsuch debris and dirt and be re-used; this provides that no separatecontinuous water addition facility and continuous dirty water drain isrequired. The apparatus is also constructed to permit ready location, bythe average member of the public, of a filter of any of a large varietyof sizes and shapes in the apparatus and ready removal of the treatedfilter.

Further still, this apparatus and process uses the operation oftheinternal combustion engine in which the air filter is used to assist incompletely drying the treated filter: the structure of the apparatus andsteps of the process are adapted to the do ityourself" public thatpresently uses coin op erated machinery such as coin-operated automaticcar washes, automatic clothes washers and dryers and the like.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus forcleaning automobile air filters.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved process forcleaning automobile air filters.

' Other objects will become-apparent to those skilled in the art'on'study of the below description of apparatus and the hereto appendeddrawings, which drawings for a part of the description of apparatus andin which drawings the same referent numeral refers to the same partthroughout.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partly broken away front view ofone embodiment of apparatus, 10, of this invention with work chamberdoor 36 and clarification chamber door 38 open.

- it is broken away along section lA-lBlClD of FIG. 4.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic diametral vertical transverse section throughthe wash assembly 41 of the apparatus 10.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic longitudinal view of the interior of theapparatus 10 piping and wiring and components.

FIG. 4 is a perspective top and front and side view of the exterior ofapparatus 10 with pump chamber door 37 open.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic enlarged partly broken away perspective view ofportions of the filter 16, with the zone 5A and 5C thereof shown at agreater enlargment than is provided for the adjacent zones SB and SD ofFIG. 5.

Table I gives dimensions and characteristics of components of oneembodiment of the apparatus 10.

TABLE I Assembly 12' DESCRIPTlON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Theapparatus 10 comprises, in operative combination, a housing and frameassembly 12, a mechanism assembly 14 and a power source 18. Anautomobile car filter, 16, is treated by mechanism 14 and releasablyheld by part of the mechanism 14 and part of the housing 12: powersource 18 is operatively connected to the mechanism assembly 14.

The assembly 12 is generally a rectangular box, the walls of which haveopenings, and closures for said openings and chambers within the box.Assembly 12 comprises a rigid vertical rectangular front flat wall 21, arigid vertical rectangular flat rear wall, 22, parallel to and the samesize as the front wall 21, a rigid vertical rectangular flat exteriorleft wall 23, and a rigid vertical exterior rectangular flat right wall24, a flat rectangular top wall 25, and a rigid floor 26. The walls arefirmly joined at their edges to form a hollow firm shell. The interiorof the assembly 12 is provided with a left interior vertical wall 27 anda right interior vertical wall 28; walls 27 and 28 are each fixed to thefront wall 21 and the rear wall 22 and provide for definition andseparation of chambers lateral thereto and therebetween. A rigidhorizontal wall 29 is located between the walls 21 and 22 and is firmlyfixed to the interior surfaces of walls 21 and 22 and 24 and to the topof wall 28. I

A wash chamber 31 of assembly 12 is located between and bounded by thewalls 29, 24, 22 and 21. A pump chamber 32 of assembly 12 is locatedbelow the wall 29 and between walls 21, 22, 24 and 28 and is bounded bysuch walls; this pump chamber has various electrical timing elements anda pump therein. A liquid clarification chamber 33 of assembly 12 isbounded by walls 23, 22, 21 and 27. A rigid flat imperforate washchamber door, 36, is located in a matching opening 39 therefor in thetop wall 25 and is hingedly affixed by hinges 30 to the rear side ofthat opening.

A rigid rectangular pump chamber door 37 is hingedly located in acorresponding rectangular hole 34 in the wall 24. A lock 37A is providedfor this chamber as coin collector 73 is located therein. Aclarification chamber door 38 is hingedly located in a correspondinghole 38A therefor on the top wall 25 and provides access to and closurefor the chamber 33.

The mechanism assembly 14 comprises a wash assembly 41, a clarificationassembly 51 and a control assembly 71.

In operation of the apparatus an air filter 16 is located in the washassembly 41.

The filter 16 comprises an annular filter wall 121, an imperforateannular lower ring 123, an upper imperforate annular ring 125, an outerperforate expanded metal grid 127 and an inner rigid highly perforatedgrid 129. The wall 121 is formed of a very air-permeable porous yetsubstantially water-repellent water-impermeable paper which permits airto pass therethrough and catches dirt and dust particles mechanically aswell as by chemical absorption or adsorption at the outer surface ofsuch material. The wall is formed in a series of similar radiallyextending vertical denticulated folds as 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136,137, 138 and 139. Folds 135139 are shown enlarged in zone FIG. 58 toshow details of the treated filter 16.

Each of folds as 131-139 of the filter wall 121 is firmly fixed at itstop and bottom edges to the top and bottom annular rings 125 and 123respectively. The surface of walls 127 and 129 are about 90 percentperforations or openings and 10 percent solid support element and arefirmly fixed at their top and bottom to rings 125 and 123; such ringsare usually (fl") 7 in. LB. and 8 in. OD. Each of the folds as 131, 132,133, 134 is formed similarly to folds 135- 139. There is, for each offolds 135, 136, 137, 138, 139 a left side element 145, 146, 147, 148 and149 respectively and a right side element 155, 156, 157, 158, and 159respectively.

Each ofthe pairs of fold sides forming a fold as 145 and 146 encompassbetween them a narrow recess 165 open to the interior of the filter, thesimilar walls 146 and 156 bound an interior recess space 166 open on theinterior to the cylindrical space within the filter 16; similarly walls147 and 157 bound a similar recess space 167, walls 148 and 158 boundinterior recess space 168 and walls 149 and 159 bound an interior recessspace 169. Each ofinterior recess spaces 165, 166, 167, 168 and 169 aresimilar and are vertically elongated and have substantially the sameshape and size from the top to the bottom; at the top, ring 125 boundseach recess space: at the bottom, ring 123 bounds each recess space.Space 165 is separated from the exterior of the filter by the walls 145and 155: space 166 is cut off from the space exterior to filter 16 bythe walls 146 and 156 and correspondingly for spaces 167, 168 and 169.Each of the spaces 165, 166, 167 and 168 is quite thin, being about Vs"(il/32") wide and extending radially the full radial width of theannular portion of the ring of the filter, which is about l to 2 incheslong, measured radially.

Between interior recess spaces 165 and 166 is located an exterior recessspace 175 open to the exterior of the filter; between interior recessspaced 166 and 167 is located an exterior recess space 176 open to theexterior of the filter; between interior recess spaces 167 and 168 islocated an exterior recess space 177 open to the exterior of the filter;between interior recess spaces 168 and 169 is located an exterior recessspace 178 open to the exterior of the filter. Each of the spaces 175,176, 177 and 178 is, in actual operation of the apparatus about Ms wide,about 1% to 2" high and about I" to 2" deep and in the usual operationof used automotive air filters, filthy on its inside, as shown byaccumulations 18], 182, and 183 (on outer surfaces of walls 155 and 146)in 175; 186, 184, 185, in 176; 187, 188, 189, in 177; and 190, 191, 192,in 178; to such an extent that even a bright light is not visibletherethrough.

Assembly 41 comprises a top plate locator assembly 110 and a rotatablefilter support and wash assembly 150 and a rotatable filter driveassembly 152, cooperatively combined.

The rotatable filter support and wash assembly 150 comprises line 43,plate 45, pulley 90, wash lines as 81, 82, 83, and 84, and nozzles as141, 142, 143, and 144, in operative combination.

The assembly 150 comprises a centrifugal pump 42 with a rigid verticaloutlet line 43. The outlet line 43 feeds into hole 44 in the center of arotatable circular rigid fiat-topped imperforate (except for the hole)rotatable filter base 45 which serves to rotatably support the bottom ofan annular air filter as 16. The top edge of the filter 16 is covered byand supports a circular axially rotatable rigid flat bottomedimperforate filter cover plate 46. A drain board 47 with a smooth flattop surface is continuous with and extends from the left hand (as shownin FIG. 3) side of panel 29 to over the top of wall 27 and extends intothe top upper portion of clarification chamber 33. Assembly 150 alsocomprises plate 45 and nozzles141-144.

The upper end of the line 43 is a rigid pipe; it is firmly located by abracket 88 therefor which bracket in turn is firmly supported by thehorizontal panel 29. The pipe 43 continues upward into a cylindricalbearing 100. The bearing 100 is formed of an outer cylindrical sleeveand race 101 and an inner cylindrical sleeve and race 102, sleeves 101and 102 are coaxial with each other andwith the center of the line 43.Conventional roller bearings 103 are located between the sleeves andraces 101 and 102, a water-tight annular cover plate 104 extends overthe top ofelements 101, 102 and 103.

Line 43 from the pump 42 is provided with several lateral branch linesas 81, 82, 83 and 84; each branch line 81, 82, 83 and 84 has a nozzle141, 142, 143, and 144 respectively at its discharge end. Each of thesenozzles is located in chamber 31 in a position in a flat horizontalcircle coaxially disposed about the center of plate 45 at equal heightsradially of plate 45 and equispaced apart from each other. Each nozzleis directed horizontally and centrally toward the upward projection ofthe central vertical axis of line 43 with which axis the centrallongitudinal axis of the annular filter 16 is also coaxial when locatedbetween plates 46 and 45.

Each nozzle as 141, is arranged so that its spray is about Ma" to A"wide (i.e. about the same as the horizontally measured width of therecess which it usually treats) and 2" high. The filter drive assembly152 comprises motor 91, its switch control 72, and pulleys 93, 94, and90 and their belts. Electrical drive motor 91 is firmly located on abracket which is firmly fixed to rear wall 22. A horizontal rotatablepulley 93 is supported by and attached to the vertical drive shaft 92 ofthe motor 91 and drives a rotatable horizontal pulley 94 rotatablysupported on a bracket 98, which bracket 98 is firmly supported on thewalls 21 and 22. The horizontal rotatable pulley 94 is connected by avertical shaft 96 to a horizontally disposed rotatable pulley 95 the topof which is at the level of the bottom of the plate 45. A lower platepulley 90 is firmly fixed to the bottom of the plate 45 and to bearing100. Pulley 90, the bottom plate 45, bearing and plate 46 are coaxial. Astandard V-belt 97, functionally and operatively connects the pulleywheel 95 with the pulley wheel 90; thereby the motor 91 serves to drive,at a steady rate of about 18 rpm. the plate 45 through the train ofpulleys 93, 94 and 95. The pulley 95 is located roughly halfway betweenthe walls 21 and 22 and between the openings 39 and 38A.

A pump inlet liquid line 62 is operatively connected to the inlet ofpump 42. The pump 42 is operatively connected to the pump motor 63 anddriven thereby. The pump motor 63 is operatively connected to a switch77 therefor and through that switch to power source 18 via coincollector switch 72. A fan 65 and its motor 64 are preferably located inelectrical chamber 35 of assembly 12. The motor is firmly fixed to andsupported by brackets 68; each such bracket is fixed to the walls 21 and22. An electrical air heater coil 66 is located in a cylindrical heatingchamber 69 which has imperforate side walls, an open bottom with sidesthat act as a skirt for the fan and extends radially thereof, and anupper outlet duct 67 which operatively connects to the line 43 throughvalve 79A.

Placement of coins in a standard slot machine coin collector 70 andactuation of the collector actuate switch 72 of a sequence controlassembly 71. Switch 72 is operatively connected to power source 18. Thecoins collected go into the coin collector box 73; collection box 73 islocated in chamber 32and reached through hole 37; the switch 72 is thusactuated by placement ofa coin in the coin collector 70. The switch 72also includes a timer assembly. The timer assembly is operativelyconnected to an air control relay switch 78 which is operativelyattached to a relay 79 (powered by line 18) which controls the valve 79Ain the heater line 67 and opens it when the switch 78 is actuated;switch 78 also operates as a relay to then actuate the fan motor 64,which motor actuates the air fan 65 -to draw up air through holes 89 inthe bottom floor and force it through the duct 67 and line 43.

The clarification assembly 51 comprises a vertically spaced series oflaterally overlapping lipped clarification plates 52, 53, 54, 55 and 56each with a smooth imperforate flat top surface; each such plate hasthree fixed edges and a free edge; one f r ont ed g e is fixed to wall22, the other rear edge is fixed to wall 21; one side edge is fixed towall 23 or to wall 27 and the free edge, as right hand free edge 50 ofplate 52, extends between walls 21 and 22 and is located between walls23 and 27. The right hand edge of plate 52 extends through the left handfree edge of plate 53, the free left hand edge of plate 53 extends toleft of the right hand free edge of plate 54; the left hand free edge ofplate 55 extends to the right of the right hand free edge of plate 54and to the right of the right hand free edge of plate 56. A sump 57 islocated below plates 52- 56 and walls 23, 27, and walls 24 and 26. Aheater coil 58 and a thermostat sensor 59 are located therein and aresupported on wall 27. The thermostat sensor is operatively connected tothe thermostat control 60. The control 60 is operatively connected to astandard electrical relay 61 and relay 61 is connected to the powersource 18 and to the coil 58.

A flexible water tight seal 99 surrounds the shaft 96 and is securelyconnected with the top of plate 47, it permits that the plate 47 maymove upward and downward about the pin 107 provided in the right endthereof which permits the left end of plate 47 to pivot up and downdepending upon the weight of water thereon and actuate a valve 62A inline 62 to decrease flow therethrough as weight of liquid on plate 47increases. Shaft96 moves in a slot elongated from left to right as shownin FIG, 4 in the otherwise imperforate plate 47 so that the geometricalrelationships between the pulley 93, 94, 95 and 90. remain unchangednotwithstanding movement up and down ofthe left end 109 of the plate 47.Top plate locator assembly 110 comprises axially rotatable rigid flatbottomed imperforate cover plate 46, a rigid horizontal bar handle 111,a shaft 112, a sleeve 113 for the shaft 112, a spring 115, a spring base116, a brace 117 with afoot 119 and brace upright 118. The shaft 112 isa rigid cylindrical shaft, the handle 111 is a rigid bar and is firmlyattached at the center thereof to the top of the shaft 112 and forms a Tshape therewith. The sleeve 113 isfirmly located in cover 36 by abracket plate 113A. The interior of the sleeve 113 has a smooth slidingfit around the shaft 112. A helical compression spring 115 is woundaround the-shaft 112 and extends from the base 116 to the bottom of thecover 36. A base 116 is fixed to top of plate 46 and to bottom of shaft112; it forms a seat for the spring 115 and provides for continuous andeven compression of the spring 115 between the top of the rotating plate46 and the bottom of the plate 36. A rigid L-shaped arm 218 extendshorizontally from top of portion 118. Base 119 is rigidly and firmlyfixed to the top of cover 36. The top of the arm 218 is concave upwardand the-shaft 112 is located a lesser distance from end of arm 218.thanthe distance from the center of the shaft 112 to one end, as .114, ofthe handle 111. Accordingly, as shown in FlGS. 1 and 4, in the stage ofoperation where the cover 36 is raised, one end, as 114, of the handle111 stably rests in a concave recess in 218 atop of upright 118. Thislocation of the handle l 11 is effected by compressing the spring 115 bydrawing the handle 111 away from the base 36; this raises the plate 46.from any filter as 16 in chamber 31 and moves the plate 46 close to thecover 36. This structure also permits the cover 36 with plate 46supported thereon to be closed without any contact between the plate 46and the filter element 16 in chamber 31 until after the cover 36 is inposition with the longitudinal axis of shaft 112 coaxial with annularfilter 16 and latch 40 closed as in FIG. 3. Handle 111 may be thenreleased from its support by the upright 118 and the plate 46 be then,by the force of the spring 115, brought into a firm yet yieldablecontact with the upper edge of the filter16, as shown in FIG. 2.

In operation of the apparatus 10 liquid 19 from sump 57 moves upwardsfrom the line 43 into the chamber 199 formed by the filter wall 121,annular support rings 123 and 125 the top surface of wall 45 and thebottom surface of wall 46.

The liquid 19, which is under pressure and passes the pump 42 andthrough the hole 44 in the plate 45 is restrained from escape past theedges of rings 123 and 125 and through wall 121 of the filter 116. Thedownward pressure of the plate 46 on filter 16 is provided by thecompressive force of the spring 115. The compression of the springeffects a force between the cover 36 in the plate 46 of about 10 lbs.the result of this is that, with a 7 in. inside diameter of filter 16there are about 38.6 square inches of water under the plate 46. Thisamounts to only about A of a pound per square inch gauge pressureagainst the flow of the water from the line 43 to raise the plate 46;nevertheless this small resistance to flow plus the rate of flow intochamber 199 does provide that the water entering through the hole 44fills all portions of the space 199 including the interior recess spacesas 166, 167, 168 and 169 of filter 16.

In the normal operation of the apparatus the plates 45 and 46 and handle111 rotate at a steady 18 rpm; accordingly all of the lateralprojections of the filter 16, such as the junctionsof wall 146 and 156and the junctions of wall 147 and 157 and. the junction of walls 148 and158 move at a steady velocity past the nozzles 141, 142, 143 and 144 ofwhich 141 is shown in the diagrammatic enlarged view (Not to scale) inthe enlarged portion 58 of FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5 the left edge ofthe spray of water which first contacts the filter wall 121 strikes onewall such as 156; it clears away from the surface 186 some of the debriscorresponding to 181 in the space 175. As the filter surface 121 movesin the clockwise direction shown by the arrow 194 in FIG. 5 the waterspray is then able to'strike the debris accumulated at the bottom orinner portion of the same exterior recess space 176; this action isshown for the striking of accumulation 188 in the cavity. 177; as thewater which reaches portion 188 passes along the outer portion of thesurface 157 it provides several vortices in the region 188 and suchvortices clean out some of the dirt there remaining; there is however acutting jet action and not a direct compression against accumulations as189 on surface 148. As the filter moves to the next position, (from theposi tion shown as 177 in FIG. 5 to the position shown for cavity 178 inH0. 5,) the right hand portion 197 of the spray 196. contacts theremaining accumulation of dirt 192 on the outer portion of the wall 149and the force of the spray is then also obliquely applied to 192 and 149at that time and position. The full force of the liquid pressure in eachnozzle as 141 is confined to a band only a total Ma" wide and perhaps 2"high; each such stream strikes the surface of wall 121 as abovedescribed with considerable scrubbing force, the stream of water fromeach nozzle as 141 impinges upon the outer sur-v faces of wall 121 andthe debris located there with the full force of the velocity resultingfrom the immediate relief of the pressure in the nozzle, with thetransformation of that pressure energy (about 15 lbs. per square inchgauge) against the portions as 155, 146, 156, 147, 157, 148, 158, 149and 159 of the wall 121 of the filter. While such walls are constructedto let air pass rapidly therethrough for the efficient operation of aninternal combustion engine to which that filter is attached, the waterin chamber 199, being a freely flowing fluid, contacts and supports allthe interior surfaces of interior recess cham bers as 165, 166, 167, 168and 169 and all the like surfaces notwithstanding that these recesschambers are thin and elon. gated, thus the force of each jet as 141 islargely met by the mechanical support of the portion of the thin wall121 provided by the liquid 19 in the chamber 199 and the recessescontinuous therewith and the pressure thereof due to therestriction tofree flow out of chamber 31 provided by spring 115 and plates 45 and 46in rings 123 and 125. Liquid 19 provides thereby a strong scrubbingaction on the portion of the wall of the recess as 177 and the dirtaccumulations there located without damage to the wall 121 for a periodof 3 minutes.

The detergent used in liquid 19 is Tide (registered trademark of Proctor& Gamble) the composition thereof is, generally, an anionic syntheticdetergent and, more particularly, a mixture of water-soluble salts ofsulfuric acid reaction products of alkyl and substituted alkylcompounds, containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl groupcharacterized by their high solubility in water, described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 2,712,529; 2,618,608 and 2,396,278. It is used in liquid 19 in theamount of /2 cup per 30' gallons of water; weight of /5 cup 1.5 ozs. 45grams :5 percent.

The temperature of the water in sump 57 is kept at about 60- 70 F. incold outdoor weather (with apparatus located out of doors warming ofliquid 19 is required). This amount and type and temperature ofdetergent is, because the detergent is intended for use in hot water ofat least 120F., and at usual concentration of /2 cup per gallons ofwater, of limited detergent power; it produces for example substantiallyno suds or foam. However, it does serve, as a jet, to dislodge dirt anddebris from exterior recess spaces as 175, 176, 177, 178 and keeps suchdebris of filter l6 suspended in the turbulent liquid as at 188 andserves to carry such debris to' the clarification chamber 33. However,the dirt suspending power of such liquid is limited and, as thesuspension of debris and liquid reaches sump 57 the debris settles outand the liquid is returned via pump 42 to chamber 31. Periodically thelarge sump discharge valve 200 at the bottom of sump chamber 57 may beopened to discharge debris therefrom, and additional water added tochamber 33 via opening 38A.

ln operation of the apparatus 10 the to-be-treated filter as 16 isplaced in chamber 31 with the door 36 open to locate filter 16 thereinwith the central longitudinal axis of the filter 16 coaxial with thevertical axis of pipe 43 and the axes of rotation of plate 45, and plate46 and shaft 112.

The location of orifice 44 allows this to be done with adequate accuracyby visual observation in the standard apparatus described hereinaboveand in Table l. The door 36 is then closed. A releasable spring latch 40in wall near edge of opening 39 engages the free edge of door 36 andholds it in position as shown in P16. 3; the handle 111 is then pulledupward from door 36 turned and released from its engagement with therecess in the top of arm 218, which arm 218 is rigidly attached toportion 118 of brace 117. The spring 115 then urges the bottom of plate46 into contact with the top of the filter 16; the shaft 112 then beingcoaxial with the longitudinal axis of plate 46; line 18 is operativelyconnected to a source of nominal l 10 volt alternating current (usually1 l5-l20v), A coin is then placed into collector 70, and the coincollector activated by being pushed inward; the coin is collected andswitch 72 activates pump motor 63 and plate drive motor 91 as abovedescribed. The liquid 19 from sump 57 is driven vigorously against theouter surface of the filter 16 and at an angle to those surfaces fromthe several nozzles, as 141, 142, 143 and 144 while the liquid withinchamber 19 helps support the filter element walls against the action ofsuch jets. The washing action of the liquid 19, at an angle to thesurfaces on which the accumulations of dirt had grown, serves todislodge the accumulations without harm to the filter wall. This actionis continued automatically for three minutes, then the timer in assembly71 cuts off the connection of power to motors 63 and 41. The rotation ofplates 45 and 46 at about 18 r.p.m. and the action of two to fourjets as141 and 142 on each portion of the filter wall 121 most adjacent to eachsuch jet serves to effect a removal of debris from the exterior surfaceof wall 121 of filter 16; also, there is some slight washing action ofliquid 19 to remove some small amount of accumulation from the pores ofwall 121. However, the greatest amount of accumulation of cloggingdebris is removed from the outer surface of the filter rather than fromthe interior volume thereof.

Upon completion of the washing action in apparatus 10 at above 40F.ambient air temperature the latch 40 is released and the filter 16removed from chamber 31. Most of the water in the chamber 199 and on theperipheral surface of wall 121 drains away long wall 29 to chamber 33.The thus washed filter is then replaced on the automobile from which itcame; operation of the engine of that automobile with the filter in itsnormal position for operation of the automobile therewith draws airthrough the filter wall and, as the engine operates and draws airthrough filter 16, water adherent to or carried by the filter 16 isevaporated and otherwise drawn away therefrom leaving a washed and driedair filter. The above description of operation applies where thetemperature of the air is above 40F.

When the ambient air in the neighborhood of apparatus 10 is colder than40F., the heater 66 and fan 65 are placed into operation by switch 78after the pump motor 63 and drive motor 91 are disconnected from powersource 18. The fan 65 and heater coil 66 operate for two minutes to dryout the filter and avoid icing of the engine.

The usual geometry of location of the jets as 141-144, at a distancefrom the axis of conduit line 43 that is greater than the radius ofplates 45 and 46 (about 7 in. in the particular embodiment 10) and thesize of the usual filter (about 5 inches maximum outside radius) and thenumber and spacing of folds or denticulations in the filter wall 121(about Vs in. to /2 in. width between walls as 155 and 146), providesthat each of the liquid jets, as that shown issuing from nozzle 141,strikes the wall 121 of the filter as 16 at angle from 0 to about amaximum of 15 for its full height (usually 1% to 2 inches).

An annular wear plate 116A is provided between the top of spring andbottom of door 36 to minimize effect of wear on door 36 of rotation ofplate 46, against which (plate 46) spring 115 bears and which rotatestogether with filter 16 and the plate 45 during the operation ofapparatus 10.

The Tide composition used, above briefly described, also containsequestering agents, as calcium sequestering phosphates which serve toprevent deposits of salts from hard water, used for liquid 19, fromdepositing on the surface of the filter wall 121 and remaining thereafter the cleansing treatment thereof as above described and also tobreak up and remove such similar salts that may develop on the filterwall 121.

By calcium sequestering phosphates is meant water-soluble salts ofphosphoric acids which are poorer in water of constitution thanorthophosphoric acid, such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate, pentasodiumtriphosphate (sometimes referred to as tripolyphosphate), hexasodiumtetraphosphate, and hexasodium hexametaphosphate, as well as the variouscorresponding acid salts, such as disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, orthe products of adding small amounts of free acid to the completelyneutralized salts. These salts are deemed capable of repressing calciumions in aqueous solutions: hexasodium tetraphosphate" and hexasodiumhexametaphosphate are placed in quotation marks to indicate that thesalts so designated may be mixtures rather than the pure chemicalcompounds. The tetraphosphate is that compound or mixture which isdescribed in US. Pat. 2,031,827 and the hexametaphosphate is the glassyvariety sometimes called Grahams salt which is described in US. Pat.1,956,515.

The material (Tide) also contains, as brought out in US. Pat. 2,712,529,a corrosion inhibitor some 4 percent to 25 percent (by dry weight of thedetergent) of solubilized silicate solids such as sodium silicate havinga SiO /Na O ratio of 1.8 to 2.6 to protect the interior parts of thepump and other parts of assembly 10 and also to avoid corrosion of themetal parts ofa filter as 16.

The dimensions of filter 16 are only those of an exemplary filter, asthe size thereof varies from one user of apparatus 10 to the next.

Drain board 47 is a rigid imperforate water-proof board, it extends froma water-tight contact with the left edge of wall 29 downward and (asshown on FIGS. 1 and 3) leftward. It is provided with a flexible seal47A that joins the rear edge of plate 47 in water-tight fashion to wall22 and a similar seal 47B that joins the front edge in watertightfashion to wall 21. Board 47 is, in the preferred embodiment, ofapparatus 10, pivotally supported at its right end on a rigid pin or rod107. Rod 107 extends from wall 21 to wall 22 and is supported thereon. Arigid Z-shaped bracket 108 is firmly fixed to wall 27. An ear 206 isfirmly fixed to the bottom of board 47. A rigid rod 204, threaded at itsupper end, is pivotally fixed to the ear 206. Rod 204 is operativelyconnected to and operates adjustable valve 62A in line 62. Rod 204passes through a hole in control arm 212. The rod 204 operates theadjustable valve 62A in line 62 to close it on downward motion of therod 204. This occurs when edge 109 of plate 47 moves too far down. Thelower portion of rod 204 is slidably supported in a bracket 208 that issupported in its front and rear in walls 21 and 22. A rigid pivotsupport rod 210 extends from wall 21 to wall 22 and is supportedthereon. A light rigid control arm 212 is pivotally supported on rod 210at its right end (as shown in FIG. 3) and on calibration spring 106 onits left end. Control arm 212 has some substantial width, about 2", andhas a hole vertically therethrough, through which the rod 204 passes.Spring 106 is slidably located in a light rigid support sleeve 209.

The height of the sleeve 109 is adjustably located on threads providedon the Z-shaped bracket 108. A lock nut 211 is attached to the upper,threaded portion of rod 204 and that nut is supported on arm 212 abovethe hole in the arm 2l2'and thereby adjusts and holds the height of theplate 47 relative to the arm 212.

Accordingly, on unduly heavy flow of water over plate 47 the inlet valve62A to pump 42 is choked and the rate of flow to chamber 199 from pump42 is reduced; the pressure on nozzles 141144 is concurrently reduced.The sleeve 209 and nut 211 are adjustable to provide for such degree ofcompression as is desired in the spring 106 for any desired rate of flowthrough the valve 62A.

it is also within the scope of this invention that board 47 be firmlyfixed in a downward and leftward sloping position; then adjustmentcontrol valve 62A may be removed and a standard plug valve be used inits place. The bottom of line 62 extends downward into sump 47 and hasits inlet a foot from the bottom thereof. In this position the liquidthat is drawn off by line 62 is free of sediment that collects at thebottom of the sump 57 and is also free of the matter that collects atthe top of the liquor in the liquid reservoir or sump 57 within thehousing and frame assembly 12.

Although, in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes,particular presently preferred and exemplary embodiments of thisinvention have been described in the best mode in which it is nowcontemplated applying such principies, it will be understood that theoperations and constructions shown and described are illustrative andthat my invention is not limited thereto.

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for cleansing filters comprising:

in operative combination, a housing and frame assembly, a

mechanism assembly and a power source;

a. the housing and frame assembly comprising an enclosure with a roofthereon, an opening in said roof above and to a wash chamber therein, adoor pivotally located in said opening above said wash chamber, and aliquid filter cover plate attached to and located rotatably at thebottom of he shaft and rotatable about an axis, and

means operatively attached to said plate urging said shaft and plate toextend away from said door, a bracket on said housing and frameassembly, an arm on said shaft engaging said bracket and opposing saidmeans for extending said shaft and plate;

said rotatable filter support and wash assembly comprising a rotatablefilter support plate within said wash chamber and rotatable about anaxis coaxial with said axis of said filter cover plate, a plate liquidinlet means extending through said filter support plate, said filterplate and said cover plate being imperforate except for said plateliquid inlet means, a liquid pump means with a discharge outlet thereofconnected to said plate liquid inlet means, a pump liquid inlet means tosaid pump means, said pump liquid inlet means connected to said liquidreservoir means, a motor operatively connected to said pump means, anozzle located in said enclosure peripherally to and above said filtersupport plate and below said filter cover plate, the outlet of saidnozzle directed toward the axis of rotation of said filter supportplate, the outlet of said pump being connected to the inlet of saidnozzle;

a clarification assembly comprising a baffled liquid clarificationchamber located between said nozzle and said liquid reservoir means; and

power control means supported on said frame housing and frame assemblyand operatively connected to said motor connected to said pump means.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein:

a. said rotatable filter support and wash assembly comprises also arotatable filter drive assembly, said rotatable filter drive meanscomprising, in operative connection, a filter drive motor means, anenergy source operatively connected and attached to said motor means, aswitch means controlling said motor means, and means operativelyconnecting said motor and said rotatable filter support plate andwherein b. a plurality of like nozzles are located peripherally of saidfilter support plate within said wash chamber, the outlet of each ofwhich nozzles is directed toward the axis of rotation of said plate andthe inlet of each of which said nozzles is connected to the outlet ofsaid pump.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said power control means on saidhousing and frame assembly comprises, in operative connection, a coincollector assembly and a timer and a switch assembly, said coincollector assembly controlling said timer and switch assembly, saidswitch assembly controlling said motors for said pump and controlled bysaid timer.

